Swedish childcare has undergone radical changes in the last 15 to 20 years. It has evolved from kindergarten to pre-school, in other words, gone from simple childcare to an active learning environment with the child as the center. Official documents, such as the pre-school curriculum and other guide documents, define the role and work ethics of the pre-school teacher. In my thesis I argue that it is essential to have an ongoing and continuous discussion at pre-schools on the practical applications of these frameworks and ambitious goals.

What do you do when you simply cannot give every child the individual time they should have according to rules and regulations? How do you stay an active and present pedagogue in today’s pre-school with large classes and heavy workloads? How do you establish a common professional work ethics within a pre-school so that all children are treated equally? In my scientific essay, I examine these issues based on a real-life situation: Ellen in the hallway.

A pedagogue must continuously make balanced decisions based on rules and regulations, on life- and work experience which, in many cases, contradict each other. In this context, it is important that pedagogues with more experience actively share their knowledge and experience with their colleagues. This creates a common professional ethical base that gives the individual educator knowledge and confidence which, in turn, creates a more stable, secure and consistent environment for the children.

I begin by clarifying the role of the pedagogue and what it means to be an active and present pedagogue. Furthermore, I look closely at pre-school work ethics, starting with Aristotle’s virtue ethics and his theories on the links between theoretical and practical knowledge. Finally, I examine the routines at my pre-school and how they relate to the Swedish pre-school curriculum, Lpfö-98/10.